William Newlandof Sandwich
A Short Biographical Profile
of kith and kin
William Newland married Rose Holloway on May 19, 1648. On April 16, 1649, Mary Newland was born to William and Rose, which would mean that Mary was conceived around the time of William and Rose's marriage day, considering a normal gestation period (n.b. a first child is often born later than the ninth month, even sometimes bordering on the tenth). We know from the records that Newland also had another daughter, but there is no mention of a name or birthdate in the records. The records do mention a John Newland, of Sandwich, who was contemporary with William and was possibly a brother or other "close" relation. The same is possibly true for Jeremiah Newland, but the evidence does not seem as strong because Jeremiah is from Taunton.
What to do, What to do
The records suggest that Newland's occupation dealt with livestock (cattle and swine), although there is no real support for a strong assertion. We do know that Newland was licensed by the Court, to "draw" (or sell) wine to travelers in Sandwich, although this seems to be a secondary business which was conditional to consumer demand. There is only one mention of Newland acquiring land, and this is six acres at a meadow between Moonoonuscusett and Shaume.
"as Quakers or such as are manifest encorragers of such . . . they shall loose their freedom of this corporation"
The records show that Newland was admitted as a freeman in 1641. However, on October 6, 1659, Newland was disenfranchised for abetting and entertaining Quakers, contrary to the orders of the Court. The story is as follows:
In the earlier records (1941-1955), Newland seems to have been a fairly civic-minded fellow, as he served his share of public duties. These include serving as a jury member, as a surveyor for the highways around Sandwich, as a lieutenant to train men in arms, as a deputy, and most repeatedly, as a committee member for the town of Sandwich.
After 1955, there is only one mention of Newland serving in a public capacity (as a surveyor for the highways). It is remarkable that such a steady, early public service career would all but come to a stop over the remaining years of his life. There seems to be an explanation for this abruptness, though, and it centers around the events contained in the following record of October 6, 1657:
William Newland, for causing or incurraging Tho: Burgis to lett Christopher Holder, one of those called Quakers, to take a coppy of the Gounors warrant, which said warrant required the said holder and his ptener to appeer att Plymouth, and for promising to stand betwixt the said Burgis and any damage that should befall him in the abouesaid respect, and for calling of diuers psons together to his house to the said Quakers, was centanced by the Court to find surties for his good behauiour. . . which the said William Newland refused to doe, where comited to the custitie of the cheife marshall.
It is apparent that Newland was a Quaker, or at the very least a Quaker sympathizer, as he was more than once fined for entertaining Quakers in his home or for attending their meetings. It is also apparent that Newland was steadfast in his beliefs about the Quaker religion, as evidence shows that he was willing to undergo prosecution by the law to further the Quaker cause. Jailed in October of 1657 for an incident involving the support of Quakers, Newland was not released until March of 1658.
Newland's original encounter with the cheif marshall, George Barlow, began an ugly string of interactions between the two, in which they seemed to be constantly "at each other's throats" (it seems the only proper term). The episode involving Barlow's arrest of Newland (above) brought Newland's daughters into the picture, as a record shows "theire abuseing of the marshall, Barlow, in the execution of his office". Apparently, his daughters were distraught over their father being placed in jail. Later, Newland made charges against Barlow for disrupting his home, which Barlow countered with his own suit against Newland for defamation. It seems particularly hard to say who was acting in an underhand manner. The Court supported Barlow in the above matters, but given that the Court was also the author of the records through which our historical ethnography is evolving, it might be possible that Newland's troubles could have been the result of the Court's retribution for his helping of the Quakers. In any case, we can certainly say that after 1657, there was certainly bad blood between Newland and the Law/government.
The Quaker belief seems to run wide throughout the Newland family. His wife, Rose, was fined alongside William, as was John Newland and his wife. The Quaker religion also affected other family groups in the Sandwich community. Given that Newland's name is mentioned alongside the Ralph Allin, Snr.and Richard Kerby, Snr.. families in reference to their Quaker "offenses", and that he was disenfranchised with Henry Howland for his part in Quakerism, it is probably safe to say that these four groups (Newlands, Allins, Kerbys, and Howlands) formed the infrastructure of the Quaker society within Sandwich.
Among other things
William Newland brought suits against people three times, and in turn, was sued three times. As mentioned above, George Barlow was a central figure in some of these suits. An interesting passage in the records tells of Newland testifying against Barlow that the chief marshal threatened Benjamin Nye's daughter with bodily harm if Nye did not act as witness against the Quakers [that if he did not help, "hee should not haue his daughter to wife"]. Nye denied this occurrence, and later brought suit against Newland for defamation.
Newland had at least one servant, John Baddo, who tried to steal a horse and run away from Newland. He was caught and publicly whipped.
There is no record of William Newland's death or of his last will and testament.